University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Minnesota State
Players Mentioned
No. 3 Gophers Set For Home & Home Series Against Mavericks
1/16/2025 4:16:00 PM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 3-ranked Gopher women's hockey team (17-5-1, 11-4-1 WCHA) is set for a home-and-home series against the Minnesota State Mavericks (10-11-1, 4-11-1 WCHA) at Ridder Arena on Friday, Jan. 17 at 5:00 p.m. CT and then at Mayo Clinic HSEC in Mankato, Minn. on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2:00 p.m. CT.
Both games will be streamed live on B1G+, with Saturday's matchup also being broadcast on FOX 9+.
Minnesota previously faced off against Minnesota State during the fall portion of the season, sweeping the Mavericks 8-2, 3-2 in their series from Oct. 25-26.
Parking Advisory
Due to overlapping events on campus Friday, women's hockey fans are encouraged to purchase advance single-game parking HERE. For those arriving without a parking pass, the best parking options are the University Avenue Ramp and Gold Lot.
Last Time Out
The Maroon and Gold are coming off a sweep of St. Thomas last weekend at home, taking down the Tommies 4-2 on Friday, then 5-1 on Saturday. Freshman defender Gracie Graham led the Gophers with four points (1g-3a) throughout the weekend, and was subsequently recognized as WCHA Defender of the Week on Jan. 13.
Scouting the Mavericks
Head coach Shari Dickerman and the Minnesota State Mavericks are coming off a road series against No. 1 Wisconsin last weekend. The Mavericks fell in both matchups, moving 2-2 after returning from the break. They currently hold a 10-11-1 (4-11-1 WCHA) record on the season so far.
Multiple Contributors
The Maroon and Gold have had various players make an impact through the first half of the season. Redshirt-senior Abbey Murphy leads the team with 39 points (18g-21a). Murphy has notched at least one point in 18 out of the Gophers' 23 games, including 13 multi-point games. Following Murphy is fifth-year forward Natalie Mlynkova and senior forward Ella Huber, who have tallied 27 and 25 points, respectively (13g-14a and 6g-19a, respectively). Junior Sydney Morrow leads Minnesota defenders and ranks fourth on the team with 19 points on the season (9g-10a). Additionally, Morrow has scored a team-leading five power play goals this season. Following Morrow is junior Nelli Laitinen with 15 points (3g-12a) on the season so far.
Freshman goaltender Hannah Clark holds a 13-3-1 record on the season with a .916 save percentage and a 1.86 goals-allowed average. Clark was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week on Nov. 18.
Milestones on the Horizon
The University of Minnesota women's hockey program sits at an all-time overall record of 794-181-64 and is on pace to reach the 800-win mark this season. Abbey Murphy has recorded 88 career goals and will be in pursuit of the century mark this season. Josefin Bouveng sits at 86 career points, and will seek to become the fifth active Gopher to reach 100. Ella Huber has tallied 43 career goals and is on pace to reach the 50 mark this season.
WCHA Honors
Five Gophers have earned WCHA Weekly Awards throughout the 2024-25 season so far: forward Abbey Murphy (Nov. 18, Dec. 9), goaltender Hannah Clark (Nov. 18), defender Chloe Primerano (Dec. 9), defender Sydney Morrow (Jan. 6), and defender Gracie Graham (Jan. 13).
Both Murphy and Primerano were named WCHA Players of the Month in December.
HCA Goalie of the Year Watch List
Freshman goaltender Hannah Clark was one of 33 goaltenders across the nation named to the Goalie of the Year Watch List by the Hockey Commissioners Association.
Hockey Humanitarian Nomination
Fifth-year forward Audrey Wethington was nominated for the 2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award. Wethington is a first-time nominee and seeks to become the first Gopher to receive the honor since Sidney Peters in 2018.
Gophers in International Play
Freshman defender Chloe Primerano and future Gopher forward Bella Fanale faced off against each other at the 2025 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship Final on Jan. 12, which resulted in a 3-0 Canada victory over Team USA. Primerano, a North Vancouver, British Columbia native, represented her home nation of Canada while Fanale, a Webster, N.Y. native, suited up for the United States. Both players were named captain of their respective national U18 squads and to the tournament all-star team.
Gophers in the Pros
Nine Gopher women's hockey alumnae are rostered (including reserves) across four PWHL squads: Hannah Brandt and Emily Brown (Boston Fleet); Taylor Heise, Lucy Morgan, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, and Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota Frost); Abigail Boreen (Victoire de Montréal); Olivia Knowles (New York Sirens).
Minnesota Adds Six to the 2025-26 Freshman Class
Head coach Brad Frost and the Golden Gopher women's hockey program announced the addition of six incoming student-athletes to the 2025-26 signing class: defender Sydney Bailey (Rogers, Minn.), forward Sienna D'Alessandro (Pointe-Claire, Quebec), forward Bella Fanale (Webster, N.Y.), goaltender Layla Hemp (Chanhassen, Minn.), forward Avery Hovland (West Fargo, N.D.), and forward Tereza Plosova (Šimonovice, Czechia).
Quest for Eighth National Title
Minnesota has won seven national championships (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016) and looks for a historic eighth title national crown in 2024-25.